


Köstlich

by wapaksoccet13



Category: Carmilla - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/F, Football | Soccer, Journalism
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-04
Updated: 2016-11-16
Packaged: 2018-08-29 00:23:15
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 13,502
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8468683
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wapaksoccet13/pseuds/wapaksoccet13
Summary: Carmilla is the star player of the Silas Bats, Silas's professional soccer team.  She turns her focus towards her profession after media caused her most recent breakup, causing her coach to ban the media.  What happens when the ban is lifted and Carmilla is introduced to the Voice of Silas's new reporter, Laura Hollis?





	1. New Assignment

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's like any other day for Carmilla Karnstein and Laura Hollis. Practice early in the morning for Carmilla, and meetings for Laura. Little do they know what the future held for them later that afternoon.

Carmilla looked at her watch as she laid out on the open field.  _5:29 am._ She still had another thirty minutes before the rest of the team would arrive to get ready for practice.  A chill had begun to make an appearance early in the mornings as they transitioned to the autumn months, but Carmilla didn’t mind.  She enjoyed the slight chill; it reminded her of the times where this wasn’t a job but a joy.

As one of the senior veterans of the Silas Bats, she was always looked upon to lead the team.  They had a few older players, ones with more experience than her, but the younger players felt more comfortable with her.  Maybe it was because she was a living legend among them; she had been the youngest player to receive the MVP of the league at the age of eighteen, her rookie year.  Now, here she was in her sixth year of play, and she was considered a senior player.

She chuckled at the thought.  Only twenty-four, going on twenty-five, and people looked up to her like she had her life together.  _If only they knew._ She was far from the prodigy that the media had portrayed her as.  Her father had worked her to the bone to become the player she was today, but the moment she began to gain in popularity, her family only cared about the amount of money she was making from matches and sponsorships.  She had cut them off, not speaking to them for the past four years.  Her coach, Lilita Morgan, had become a mother figure for Carmilla following the family cutoff, but now she acted more as a demanding dean to her players than a coach.  That only left Mattie, the one teammate that she considered her sister, that she could talk to, but it was beginning to look more like that relationship was becoming toxic as well due to Mattie’s need to want more out of everyone around her.

Carmilla sighed, looking up at the stars in the sky.  It was a clear sky, allowing for all the bright stars above her to shine.  She smiled as she continued to stare up at the sky.  It was always calming to just lay here on the field and stare up at the stars.  Sometimes she wish she could be one; a light in a darkness.  Then there were times that she wish she wasn’t a star; all alone in the large world of life.

A shuffling above her head snapped Carmilla out of her thoughts.  She leaned her head back to see Mattie walking over to her.  She was dressed in her warmups, a practice jersey thrown over her left shoulder and a water bottle in her right hand.  She knelt beside Carmilla, setting the water bottle down near her feet.

“So how long have you been out here today?” she asked, turning her kneeling into a stretch.

Carmilla shrugged. “Maybe an hour.  Everyone starting to filter in?”

Mattie nodded, grabbing her water bottle as she stood up.  She waited for Carmilla to do the same, motioning for her to follow.  Carmilla walked next to her, rubbing her eyes as they headed to the locker room.  They were getting closer to the entrance to the locker room when Mattie finally spoke up.

“You can’t still be held up over Ell’s trade, right?” she asked.

Carmilla froze in place, looking down at her shoes.  Mattie walked a few more steps before noticing that she had stopped.  She looked back at Carmilla, who had begun to clench her fists tightly.  It was still a sore spot in her life, and she knew Mattie knew that, yet not a day went by since two months ago that Mattie would ask her at least twice a week.  It was Thursday, so Carmilla thought she would be able to get through at least this week without the mention of Ell, but it turned out that she was wrong.

Taking a deep breath in, Carmilla collected herself before she begun to continue to walk towards the locker room. “No.  I’m fine.”

Mattie was quick to catch up to her. “Carm, really?  You’re still hung up-“

Carmilla stopped, turning to face Mattie. “Yes, Mattie.  I am still upset about the entire trade.  We were doing really well until the media found out about our relationship, and I know Coach had some part in it.”

“Carm, it’s been two months!  She’s playing for Korvae Anglers now.  You have to get over her.”

Carmilla shook her head, spinning around on heel and storming off to get her practice gear on. “Never.”

* * *

 

_Hmm…maybe this one?_

_No that won’t do.  Maybe this one?_

_No, that doesn’t sound right either.  What about this one?_

_UGH!_

Laura dropped her head to her desk, groaning as she deleted the title for her article for what seemed like the umpteenth time.  She sighed; she had spent the past two hours trying to figure out a title for her article, and it wasn’t even ten o’clock yet.

“Still having trouble?”

Laura lifted her head to find Danny standing beside her desk, a cup in each hand.  She watched as Danny set one beside her and smiled when she saw it was hot chocolate.  She took it, slowly blowing on it, before taking a sip of it.

“Thanks, and yeah.  You try coming up with a title about how a crocodile managed to make its way into a house undetected!”

“Um…’Crocodile Makes Way into House’?” Danny suggested.

Laura looked at her co-worker, groaned, and allowed her head to hit her desk again.  Danny chuckled, sipping a little on her hot chocolate.  Laura was the newest reporter for the Voice of Silas, the city’s premier newspaper, having only been on the job for the past two weeks.  Only a couple months removed from graduating with a Bachelors in Journalism, Laura had jumped from job to job before landing the job at the Voice.  Danny had taken up the mentor role for Laura, helping to guide her along the road of being a Voice reporter.  There was a slim mutual attraction between the two, but Laura wasn’t sure if she felt as strongly as she knew Danny did.

Lifting her head up, she saw that it was getting close to ten, which meant that their weekly meeting was approaching.  Sighing, Laura stood up and grabbed her notepad along with her hot chocolate.  Danny smiled, stepping out of the way for Laura.  As Laura began to walk grudgingly towards the conference room, Danny was right behind her.

“I hate these meetings,” Laura voiced, taking a large swallow of her hot chocolate.

“They have to happen.  It’s when we get our assignments for the weekend,” Danny replied.

Laura sighed as Danny opened the door to the conference room for her. “I understand that, but like, couldn’t we get it over email or something?  I swear I feel like I’m going to fall asleep with each other these meetings.”

Danny chuckled, taking her usual seat in the corner of the room. “Would you even read your emails then?”

“I do to read my emails!”

“Only when you’re absolutely told too because of something that’s needed done that day.”

“…shut up.”

Danny was quick to laugh then shut her mouth as the editor entered the conference room.  Betty Spielsdorf, the youngest editor to ever run the Voice, strolled inside, already on a phone call via Bluetooth.  Her assistants quickly followed her inside and took their places beside her designated chair.  Laura wondered how on earth they were happy with their positions, never understanding how the demanding nature of the editor’s assistant was “charming,” as they put it.

Finishing her phone call, Betty tapped the side of her Bluetooth to turn it off before turning to the rest of the staff. “Alright, let’s begin,” she said as she took her seat at the head of the table.

For the next forty-five minutes, reports were given, and possible story ideas were thrown out onto the table.  They ranged from advice column ideas to reports on upcoming events.  There was never a dull moment in Silas, so it was hard for the newspaper to decide on which stories to actually follow through on.  Half of the ideas pitched were dumped just by the look the editor gave when they were suggested.  Laura couldn’t stand that look; some of the ideas pitched could be fantastic if done properly, but majority of them never made it past the meetings.

After the final idea was pitched, Betty clapped her hands together. “Alright, that’s enough for this week’s meeting.  As for everyone’s assignments this weekend, they’ll be posted on the board outside of my office.”

_That’s a twist._  Laura didn’t know if the twist was good or not, but she was more than happy to leave the meeting early.  She had just risen from her seat with Danny when she heard her name called by Betty.  Danny gave her an empathetic smile before turning to leave the conference room.  Laura sighed before turning with a smile and walking towards Betty.

“You won’t find your assignment on my board,” Betty said matter-of-factly.

Laura looked at her confused, with a slight hope building in her chest that she would have the weekend off. “Why’s that?”

“Have you heard of Silas’s soccer team, the Silas Bats?”

Laura nodded.  It was about the only sports team in Silas that got people’s attention almost immediately. “Of course; who hasn’t?”

“Good because their coach is finally lifting the ban of reporters, and I want you to be the one who does an interview.”

Laura’s eyes widened in surprise. “Me?  Why me and not someone with more experience?”

Betty turned to the TV behind her and turned it on where a picture of one of the soccer players appeared.  Her long black hair flowed behind her as she fought with an opposing player for control of the ball.  Her face of determination bore hard into Laura’s chest, and she could have sworn just the sight alone took her breath away.  This woman was so beautiful, she was sure it was a crime somewhere.

“This is Carmilla Karnstein.  When she was a rookie, she won the MVP for the league.  She was eighteen.  Never attended college; father was a former star in Europe.  This will be her sixth year in the league.  She’s also the reason why the ban on reporters was placed by the coach, Lilita Morgan,” Betty explained, setting the remote to the TV down on the table.

Laura took a step forward. “Why?”

“She and a former player, Ell Dudley, were in a relationship that the press was made aware of a few months ago.  Dudley didn’t like attention or how it was handled, she was traded to the Korvae Anglers, and the ban was put into place.”

“That seems a bit extreme, doesn’t it?”

Betty shrugged, turning the TV off. “Who knows?  What I do know is that I want you to do an interview with Carmilla Karnstein.”

Laura looked at Betty incredulously. “Are-are you sure?  I mean, the media’s the reason why she-she and her girlfriend, well…ex-girlfriend maybe, are on two separate teams now.”

“That’s why I want you to do the interview.  I’ve heard mumblings that Karnstein’s not happy, and the star of the most popular sports team in Silas being unhappy makes a great story.”

Laura frowned. “Betty, I can’t do a story on something like that.  That’s just plain…wrong in general!”

“I really don’t care, Laura.  I just want that interview done,” Betty said before she strolled out of the conference room with her assistants right on her heels.

Laura sighed, leaving the conference room to head towards her desk.  She found Danny patiently waiting on her, her face frowning at Laura’s expression.

“What’s up?  What did she have to say?” Danny asked, straightening up.

“Well, I got my assignment.”

“And that is?”

Laura turned to face Danny. “Apparently, it’s to interview the star of the Silas Bats, who’s sure to try and bite my head off because the last time media, reporters specifically, played a major part in her life, it caused her girlfriend/ex-girlfriend/whatever to get traded to another team.  So joy to me!”

_Man was it going to be a long day._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's finally up! After hinting at how much I'm already in love with writing this work on tumblr, I have finally gotten to the point where I can start publishing it. I hope you enjoy it!
> 
> Leave kudos, comments, etc. and make sure to follow me on tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/libs1317.


	2. First Impressions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Laura heads to the Silas Bats' training facility to conduct her interview with Carmilla. Everything should work out ok, right?

The Silas Bats had two practices Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday.  Wednesdays and Saturdays held games, and Fridays were spent addressing any media questions and injuries.  Sundays were the only days off that they were assigned.  Laura pulled up to their training complex, a state-of-the-art indoor turf field that the city was gracious to build after the team’s championship win five years ago.  Since then, they had won three of the last five championships.  They were heavy favorites to win again this year, pending no major injuries.

Laura stepped out of her car, making sure that she had everything she needed before heading in.  _Phone, check.  Keys, check.  Wallet, check.  Notepad and pen, check._ Confident that she wasn’t forgetting anything, she made her way to the front of the building.  A security guard looked up from his post behind a window at the new visitor, curiosity playing on his face.

“May I help you?” he asked.

Laura pulled out her Voice of Silas credentials and held them up so that the guard could see them. “I was told I could speak to Carmilla Karnstein about an interview for the Voice of Silas.”

The guard chuckled. “That so?  So Coach Morgan did lift the ban after all,” he said, pressing a button that unlocked the front door. “Head inside, take the first hallway on your left.  It’ll lead you to the turf field.  They should be in the middle of practice, so just let one of the assistants know that you’re here to speak with Karnstein.”

Laura nodded, thanking the guard as she made her way into the facility.  The hallways themselves were large enough for a group of five or six people to walk comfortably next to each other in one direction.  The look to the hallways made Laura imagine the facility more as a scientific laboratory instead of a sports training complex.  Following the guard’s instruction, she took the first hallway on her left.  It was here that there were more inspirational writings on the wall followed by several pictures.  One of the ribbon cutting ceremony.  One of the team practicing.  One of the team celebrating one of their championships.  This was what Laura was expecting the rest of the complex to look like instead of just one hallway.

At the end of the hallway were two large swing doors.  Laura pushed the one on the right open, taken aback by the size of the turf field.  She had been to several games with her father when she was younger, but the turf field itself was by far the largest she had ever seen.  There was enough room for two full fields and space in between for bystanders to walk in between.  There were two sets of players practicing, one on each field.  The coaches, from what Laura assumed, were standing in the middle watching the two concurrent practices.  Laura began to make her way over to them, hoping that she could catch one that wasn’t too entrenched in observing the practices.

Thankfully, one of them wasn’t as she was the first to notice Laura’s arrival. “Can I help you?” she asked, standing up and meeting Laura halfway.

Laura held up her credentials, a smile on her face.  _Or at least the best one I could manage for this type of assignment._ “Laura Hollis with the Voice of Silas.  I was told I could conduct an interview with one Carmilla Karnstein.”

The assistant looked at the credentials before checking her watch. “You’ve got about thirty more minutes until she’s free to speak.  You’re free to stay and watch her practice, but I will warn you, she is a tough one to talk to.  Reporters aren’t her…favorite people to speak to.”

Laura nodded. “So I’ve heard.  I promise I’ll make it a quick interview if she speaks with me.”

The assistant nodded, heading back towards the other coaches to inform them of Laura’s arrival.  By the way the other coaches looked at her and snickered, she could already tell that it would be a miracle if Carmilla Karnstein granted her an interview.  She sighed, looking out at the practice.

It wasn’t hard to find Carmilla; she was the one putting the most effort into the practice.  The look of determination, the strength behind each of her shots, made goosebumps appear on Laura’s arms.  _Hopefully she doesn’t bite my head off with this interview.  I would hate to be on her bad side at all._ So Laura continued to watch practice, trying to think of ways to ask her questions without offending the star player, but what she wasn’t accounting for was that the star player had already aware of the young reporter’s presence.  She wasn’t happy about it either.

* * *

 

Carmilla clenched her fists as she cut from side to side, dodging each defender on her way to the goal.  One fake move to throw the goalie off balance, and she had an opening.  One quick slam, and the ball found home in the top left corner of the net.  Carmilla huffed as she gathered herself and begun to make her way back towards the middle of the field. 

“Hey, nice shot, Carm!” Mattie said as she jogged over to her.

Carmilla brushed off her friend’s compliment. “There’s a damn reporter here.”

Mattie looked towards the sideline, seeing the new face watching them. “Well, I’ll be damned.”

Carmilla stopped and glared hard at Mattie. “What the hell is a reporter doing here?” she asked in a hushed angry voice.

Mattie shrugged. “Beats me.”

“Maybe it’s to tell the world how angry of a human being you are,” a new voice chimed in as they passed Carmilla.

Carmilla turned and snarled. “Shut the hell up, Mel.  You don’t know shit.”

Mel rolled her eyes as she made her way to the far sideline. “Yeah, yeah, Broody.  You keep telling yourself that.”

Mattie grabbed ahold of Carmilla’s arm before she could move any further towards Mel.  This was Mel’s second season with the team, having been signed as the new starting right wing midfielder.  When she had arrived, she had been a very quiet player.  However, right before the start of the season, something changed in Mel; she had come back an antagonistic player who absolutely loved to press Carmilla’s buttons to no end.  Carmilla knew it too, but she couldn’t help but get angry at the taunts, especially when they were referencing her or Ell.

“Leave it, Carm.  She’s not worth it, and you know that,” Mattie said, holding onto her friend’s bicep.

Carmilla took in a deep breath before releasing it. “I know, I know.  Sorry.”

Mattie nodded, releasing her grip. “Look, I don’t know why the reporter is here, but if Coach did let her in, and I have a feeling she did, just try to keep the anger under control.  I doubt that the reporter is here specifically to bother you about what happened with Ell.”

Carmilla opened her mouth to reply when she heard Coach Morgan shout for her to make her way over to her.  She sighed, the inevitable having arrived. “I guess were about to find out.”

She turned towards her head coach, jogging over to where she was patiently waiting with the reporter.  It was then that Carmilla got a better view of this reporter.  She was her height with light brown hair that fell like a waterfall onto her shoulders.  What got Carmilla’s attention though was the soft brown eyes that stared hopefully at her as she approached the two.  It made Carmilla’s breath catch in her throat, which surprised her.

“Finally.  Carmilla, this is Laura Hollis, a reporter with the Voice of Silas.  She’s here to do an interview with you,” Coach Morgan said with a huff, her arms crossed over her chest.

Carmilla looked at the reporter, mentally noting the nervousness that was emanating off of the girl, before turning her attention back to her coach. “And why should I agree to such a thing?”

Coach narrowed her eyes at Carmilla, the silent threat coming off in waves. “Just do it, and get it done and over with, Carmilla.  It’s one story, that’s it.  Be grateful that I’m allowing this in the first place after what happened.”

Carmilla bit the inside of her cheek to keep her from saying any retort.  She watched as Coach stormed back over to the sidelines, yelling at the second string players to focus more on the drills.  Rubbing her temples, she took a deep breath in before turning her attention to the reporter.  The reporter jumped slightly at the sudden focus Carmilla had given her.  _Well, that’s a great first impression to give someone, Karnstein._ She rolled her eyes and began to walk back towards the locker room, motioning for the reporter to follow her.

As they walked into the locker room, Carmilla reached back to pull the rubber band out of her hair, running her hand through her hair.  Though she would rather take a shower first before having this forced interview, she knew better than to keep the press waiting.  She sat down on one of the benches, watching as the reporter elected to take one of the chairs as she opened her notebook.  Carmilla leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knees and her chin on her interlocked fingers, watching as the reporter adjusted herself as she pulled out a recorder.

There was just something about this woman that Carmilla couldn’t place.  She didn’t have that uptight reporter vibe that she had seen countless times before; it didn’t feel like this one would push for things that were clearly not hers to know.  Of course, Carmilla knew what she was here for in the first place, the one thing Coach had kept other reporters from knowing even months after the incident.  _How the hell was I feeling after the team I had given everything to had traded my lover away to another team._ It was the talk of the city, increasing even more after Coach’s ban of reporters at the facility.

“So, I uh…let’s get started shall we,” the reporter said nervously.  She held her pen confidently, but the waver in her voice betrayed her. “Why don’t we start with-“

“Let’s just get to the main point, shall we?  You got sent here to ask me about how I felt after they traded my ex-girlfriend to the Korvae Anglers,” Carmilla said matter-of-factly.

Startled, the reporter looked wide-eyed at her.  _Yeah.  Thought so._ “I…I uh…”

“Look, it’s done and over with.  She’s there, and I’m here.  We were together, and now we’re not.  It’s been two months.  I don’t care what you put in your little article, but you can be sure to say that I said that it’s no one’s business but my own.  They can leave it at that,” Carmilla announced as she stood up.

_Don’t let her see how broken you are.  Don’t let her see how much you still hurt.  Don’t let her see._  Carmilla turned to leave the locker room, already tired of talking about the incident, but was stopped when she felt a hand softly wrap around her wrist.  She paused, turning back to see the reporter standing behind her, her hand the one around her wrist.

“Look.  I know it’s no consolation, but hear me out.  I was sent here to get your feelings on the whole matter, but I don’t want to write about that.  In truth, I’d rather write an article about you.”

Carmilla stood wide-eyed at the reporter, surprised by her honesty. “About me?  What’s there to tell that hasn’t been published already?”

The reporter smiled a gentle smile, one that seemed to melt Carmilla’s cold walls in her chest. “That’s up to you.  You can even help me decide what ends up going into the final version if you’d like, that way it’s what you want other to know.”

Carmilla looked at the woman, this person who seemed to be seeing right through her façade right into her soul. “Why?” she asked softly, so soft that she didn’t know if the reporter had heard her or not.

The reporter smiled softly. “Because, believe it or not, I’m not one of those sleazy reporters who are just looking for a story to put out.  If I’m going to put out an article, then I’m going to get the honest version of it.”

It was then that Carmilla could feel it, every wall she had been building since Ell’s trade and the break up come shattering down.  Every single one she felt crash around her, and it only took this one reporter to ask her for her opinion about the article, one that was going to be just about her.  It wasn’t going to be about the incident unless she said it would be; it wasn’t going to feature Ell unless she asked.  It was going to be about her and only her.

Carmilla nodded. “Ok.”

The reporter smiled. “Awesome, but uh…” She looked around the locker room nervously. “How about we not do the what I’m assuming is going to be a long interview here in the locker room?”

Carmilla couldn’t help but chuckle. “There’s a coffee shop down the road, _Köstlich_ , that we can do the interview at.”

The reporter smiled, closing her notepad and sliding her pen into the notepad’s spiral binding. “Ok.  I’ll meet you there.”

Carmilla returned the smile. “Practice should be ending soon, so I should be there in about thirty minutes.”

The reporter frowned. “Don’t you want to get a shower?”

Carmilla shook her head, leaning back against the wall. “I usually hit the coffee shop after any practice.  I’ll be ok.”

The reporter nodded. “Well, I guess I’ll meet you there then.”

“Looking forward to it, Miss…”

“Hollis, but please, call me Laura.”

Carmilla smiled, holding out her hand. “Carmilla Karnstein, but you can just call me Carmilla.”

Laura smiled, taking Carmilla’s hand and shaking it.  _Strong grip too.  She’s full of surprises it seems like._ “Nice to formally meet you, Carmilla.  So coffee shop in about thirty minutes?”

Carmilla nodded. “Seems so.”

Laura smiled, pulling her keys out of her pocket. “See you there,” she said over her shoulder as she began to leave.

It was then that Carmilla could’ve sworn that Laura had winked at her.  _Wait…did she…at me…or am I…WAIT WHAT?_ Carmilla wanted nothing but to slap herself silly when the rest of the team rushed into the locker room, Mattie instantly honing in on her friend.

“So how’d that interview go?” she asked, wrapping her arms around Carmilla’s shoulders.

Carmilla continued to stare off in the direction that Laura had left in. “Didn’t do it here.  Heading to _Köstlich_ to do it.”

Mattie leaned back, staring intensely at her friend’s blank stare. “Carm, you alright?”

Carmilla smiled softly. “Just fine.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Second chapter is up! Thank you for all the positive feedback, both here and on tumblr. You all are too kind.
> 
> Make sure you follow me on tumblr! My user name is Libs1317.


	3. Coffee Shop

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Interview time! What will Laura learn about Carmilla?

_Köstlich_ was a small German coffee shop that was a five minute walk away from the Bats’ training facility.  Laura stepped in slowly, looking around the space for a spot to sit down.  For being so small, she was surprised by the amount of traffic that was currently going through.  _It’s just a rush hour for them, that’s all._   She found an open table and quickly made her way to it.  Sitting down, she took out her notepad and phone.  She quickly wrote down some of the questions she wanted to ask Carmilla, ones that she would have to ask for the article and ones that she personally wanted to find out about the star soccer player.

She was surprised by herself.  She hadn’t expected to find Carmilla as attractive as she had, and it made her stomach do twists and turns just thinking about how Carmilla’s mood seemed to change in just the little time they spoke.  She had gone from a hardened individual, someone who didn’t seem to give two cares about the world or people around her, to someone entirely different, a shyness or fear of letting someone like her in too close.  It almost reminded Laura of herself when she was in college.  She had been in that same place at one time before her friend S. LaFontaine helped bring her out from her misery.

She and LaFontaine had met during a writing class, one that was mandatory for all freshmen at Silas University.  Laura didn’t have any friends at the university, choosing to stick to herself in her classes and back at her apartment.  It wasn’t until this nerdy biology major and her political science major friend Perry reached out to her one day before class.  Laura didn’t know what would have happened to her if LaFontaine and Perry hadn’t offered to be her friends, her first real friends in university, and honestly, she was glad she didn’t have to know.

Laura looked down at her watch before returning to the notepad.  She tapped the back of her pen against her cheek as she looked over the questions.  They were simple questions, but they were enough to warrant a conversation at least.  Laura remained lost in her thoughts, the world around her becoming a blur, until she heard the chair in front of her slide out.  She looked up to find Carmilla taking a seat in the chair, her hair hanging over her shoulders.  By the look of things, she had taken a quick shower before making her way to the coffee shop.

“I hope I didn’t keep you waiting too long,” Carmilla apologized.

Laura shook her head. “It’s alright; I wasn’t waiting long.”

A waitress came over, two menus in his hands.  He smiled at them both, setting the menus in front of them, before turning his attention to Carmilla.  Laura didn’t catch what he was saying, their conversation was being spoken in German by the sounds of their accents, but she had a feeling that the conversation was about her as he kept trying to sneak looks at her while he spoke with Carmilla.  It didn’t help that with each sneaked look, Carmilla would smile this tiny smile that Laura found adorable, though she promised herself that she would never admit it out loud.

Looking as if he got his answers, he turned to Laura with a bright smile. “What can I get you?  If you need a couple more minutes to look over the menu, I can come back,” he said, the smile never wavering.

Looking down at the menu, Laura took a minute to study it before returning her gaze to the waitress. “Just a black coffee with some cream and sugar please.”

The waitress wrote down Laura’s order before returning his attention back to Carmilla. “Same as usual?”  Carmilla nodded. “Alright; I’ll have both orders out in a few minutes.”  Just before he left, the waitress said one more thing in German to Carmilla, causing her blush red and bite her lower lip.

Once he was out of earshot, Laura looked at the soccer player in confusion. “Is everything ok?”

Carmilla smiled. “Yeah, sorry.  That’s J.P.  He’s a history nerd who I met at one of the poetry nights here a few years back.  He’s from Berlin, and I have family in Austria, so we just kind of clicked after meeting.”

Laura nodded, watching as J.P. interacted with his coworkers as he made their orders. “So what exactly was he saying?”

“Just that I haven’t stopped by in a while and was catching up on things that had happened in the past couple weeks.”

Laura turned her attention back to Carmilla. “Funny because he would keep sneaking glances at me and you would smile a little more with every look.”

If Laura could, she would’ve taken a picture of Carmilla’s reaction; it was too damn cute to not want to.  Carmilla looked down at her hands, clearly flustered at the comment. “Um…how about we get to those interview questions?...”

Laura smiled, moving the notepad in front of her. “Alright then.  How about an easy one?  What’s it like to be the star player of the Silas Bats at the young age of twenty-four?”

Carmilla leaned back in her seat. “Difficult at times, I guess.  I’ve been playing since I was three, so it’s always been a part of my life.  I did a lot of traveling club teams, starting every game when I was in high school.  Now, it’s just a job mixing in with a pleasure.”

Laura listened intently, writing down notes as Carmilla spoke. “The talent’s natural by far, but how is it to be considered a leader?”

Carmilla leaned her head back slightly. “Confusing sometimes.  Often than not, it’s more of a chore.  I enjoy the sport, I enjoy being around my teammates, but sometimes it feels better to just be a player rather than be in the spotlight all the time.  I love being a role model for the younger players, but I also love being a regular Jane with them as well.”

Laura nodded, finishing her notes as J.P. brought them their orders.  He sat them down in front of them along with two dishes, one of creamer and one of sugar.  Laura looked up at him and smiled. “Thank you.”

He waved off the compliment before leaving the table to attend to others.  By now, the rush of traffic flow had slowed, allowing for a quieter flow of conversation to fill the coffee shop.  In truth, Laura felt more comfortable with this type of atmosphere.  She could see why Carmilla had chosen the location for after her practices.  It was a relaxing climate to collect your thoughts in.

“So what else would you like to know?” Carmilla asked, breaking Laura from her thoughts.

Laura looked down at her questions, scratching out the one she had just asked.  _Maybe…maybe she’ll answer a more personal one._ “Ok.  This one’s a bit more on the personal side, but how much of an influence was your family in your decision to turn soccer from a hobby into a profession?”

Carmilla had just taken a drink of her coffee before she sat it back down in front of her, staring distantly into the warm brown liquid. “It was my dad really.  He used to play for the Austrian National Team, so it was always a big thing for him.  I have a couple siblings, but I was the only one to put a lot of interest into soccer.  It helped that I was natural at it, so he kind of honed in on that.  Every camp we could go to, we went to.  I was always on a traveling club team.  I started every game in high school, reaching the state finals three times and winning on two of those trips,” she explained, a pained expression coming over her face.

“What is it?” Laura asked, worried that her question hit too close to home.

Carmilla sighed. “It wasn’t until I turned pro, where I was making more money from my matches and the many endorsements, that I finally saw the true side of my father.  The controlling side, the abusive side, the demanding side.  All were present, and it carried over to my mother and a couple of my younger siblings.  I only talk to my sister, Mira, now because of it.  I had to cut everyone else out.”

Laura frowned, reaching her left hand out to take Carmilla’s right. “I’m so sorry, Carmilla.  That must have been awful.”

Carmilla chuckled softly. “Best part?  It’s been five years, and still my father blames me for the break up in the family.”

Laura could see the sadness, the hurt, behind Carmilla’s eyes.  She thought back to what Betty had said in regards to the incident.  _She had already lost loved ones.  Maybe that’s why she’s so hard on the media.  They made her lose someone else that was close to her._ Laura waited for Carmilla to relax herself, watching as the young woman did several breathing techniques before lifting her head back up to meet Laura’s eyes.

“Sorry about that.”

Laura shook her head. “No need to be.  I’m sorry for going so personal.”

Laura was surprised to see Carmilla close her hand around her own. “It’s alright.  I did ask you what the next question was.”

They stayed like that for a moment before they both pulled their hands away, a light blush on both of their cheeks.  Laura cleared her throat, while Carmilla ran her hand through her hair.  Laura hoped that Carmilla didn’t catch her staring at the motion before she turned her gaze to her notepad.  It was still weird that the soccer star had actually agreed to do the interview with her; she didn’t need to be forming a crush on her, too.

“So…back to questions?” Carmilla suggested.

Laura nodded, a small smile on her lips as she looked down at her questions.  _And…too late._

* * *

 

Carmilla didn’t return back to her apartment until around nine thirty that night.  She had spent nearly six hours at _Köstlich_ with Laura, answering her questions.  Granted, they hadn’t spent all of their time on those questions.  After answering the last question, Laura had offered to answer any questions Carmilla wanted to ask about her in return for doing the interview.  That had thrown Carmilla for a loop, but she was curious to know a little more about this reporter. 

Setting her keys and wallet down on her kitchen counter, Carmilla smiled at the little things she had learned that day about the reporter.  She was an only child, having been raised by her father since the age of nine.  She had always wanted to do something writing related, having debated between Creative Writing and Journalism before deciding to go with the latter when she got accepted to Silas University.  She did a lot of volunteering during her time at Silas, her favorite time being spent at the local humane society to attend to their cats.

What surprised Carmilla the most was the young woman’s drive.  When asked about how she got a job at the Voice, Laura had laughed.  She had explained that after numerous failings at other reporting jobs, she had finally landed a job that had her actually enjoying her work as a journalist and a reporter.  She spoke of how she had jumped from job to job, trying to figure out her niche in the journalism world.  She hadn’t expected to land the job at the Voice, but she had explained it was one of the best experiences she had found since graduating.  Carmilla found herself enjoying how Laura described her experiences.  If she was being honest with herself, she was enjoying Laura’s company.

Carmilla rubbed her face as she made her way over to the fridge, contemplating what she was going to have for a quick dinner.  She had been too enthralled with the interview that she had forgotten about dinner until she returned to her apartment, stomach growling in protest.  She bit her lip as she looked about the many foods stashed away when her eyes fell onto the cupcakes on one of the shelves.  She smiled to herself, again thinking back to her conversation with Laura.

_Carmilla watched as J.P. brought over two cupcakes, setting them in front of them.  She looked up at him confused, only to be given a wink before he walked away.  She rolled her eyes at her friend, understanding his intentions.  He thought that this was a date, and by how long they had already stayed at the coffee shop, she wasn’t surprised that he made the assumption._

_Laura smiled and called her thanks to him, picking her cupcake up. “That was sweet of him.”_

_Carmilla shrugged. “I guess so,” she replied, picking hers up. “I assume that you like chocolate cupcakes then?”_

_Laura smiled, taking a small bite out of her cupcake.  By the look of joy on her face, Carmilla had already gotten her answer.  Laura swallowed, covering her mouth a little._

_“I love cupcakes, but creampuffs are actually my favorite sweets,” she answered with a smile._

Carmilla found herself smiling at the thought, quickly shaking her head.  _Get it together, Karnstein.  It was just one day, one coffee meeting.  That’s all.  You do not get to fall in love with a girl you barely know in one day._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for the support on this work. You guys are so enjoyable to write for.


	4. One Step Forward, One Step Back

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Carmilla and Laura take a step forward, but what kind of step will it be?

She didn’t want to fall in love, but as the days went on, she found her smiling more and more.  After the first coffee shop meeting, they began to schedule more.  They had planned one every week, spending a few hours just enjoying each other’s company.  Soon enough, they were meeting each other for dinner.  At first, it was just so that they could have a different venue to spend their meetings at.  Soon though, they were going to more popular restaurants.  Laura worried about what people would say when they saw them together, worrying about Carmilla’s reputation with the press, but Carmilla would always brush it off with a smile, insisting that she could deal with it.

It had been three months since they started meeting up with each other every week when Carmilla brought her a ticket to her next game.  Laura had been surprised by where the seat was, close to the field right behind the players.  She had questioned Carmilla on why so close, only to receive a smile.

“Best view of the game is there, or so I’m told,” was the soccer player’s response.

So here she was, sitting in her seat as the clock ticked down to zero, ending the game.  She cheered with the rest of the crowd as they celebrated another Bats’ win.  She smiled as the team ran towards Carmilla, tackling her as they celebrated her lone goal that pushed them to the win.  She clasped her hands in front of her mouth, trying her hardest to hide her smile from those around her.

Finally released from her teammates, she watched as Carmilla looked around before her eyes landed on her, a smile growing on her face.  Laura felt her own smile grow as she made her way down towards the wall.  Carmilla ran to join her, ignoring the confused faces of her teammates.

“You were great!” Laura said as Carmilla met her at the wall.

Carmilla smiled up at her. “I’m glad you enjoyed it.  Meet me out in the parking lot in thirty minutes?”

Laura nodded. “Sure.”

If Carmilla’s smile could grow any bigger, Laura was sure it would. “Awesome.  I’ll see you soon.”

Laura watched as Carmilla jogged off towards the locker room, and she could’ve sworn her heart was beating faster than before.  It was something that she was starting to notice more and more when she was with Carmilla.  Her heart would race, the butterflies in her stomach would stir inside her.  She smiled as she started to head towards the exit; she just couldn’t stop thinking about how being with Carmilla had brought out these new feelings.  _This is…is this what love is?_

Laura was still lost in her thoughts when she walked into someone.  “Oh, sorry!  I wasn’t-“ she began to say before she looked up to see who she had walked in to.  She was surprised to find Danny standing in front of her, her notepad in her hand. “Danny?  What are you doing here?”

Danny smiled a little at her, holding up her notepad. “Writing about the win.  I was just on my way down to see if I could talk with some of the players,” she said, tilting her head to the side a little. “The better question is what are you doing here?  I thought you had the night off?”

Laura nodded. “I do, but I was here because I managed to get a ticket.”

Danny raised an eyebrow. “I never pegged you to be a sports fan.”

“It’s just become a new discovery.”

Danny crossed her arms over her chest. “Uh huh.  It has nothing to do with the fact that you’ve been spending a lot of time recently with the star player, one Carmilla Karnstein, right?”

“Um…”

Danny nodded, biting the inside of her cheek. “Uh huh.  I see.  Well, don’t get your heart broken, Hollis,” she said before starting to walk away.

Laura turned and reached out to Danny, gently wrapping her hand around Danny’s arm. “Wait, Danny-“

Danny yanked her arm out of Laura’s grip and picked up her speed as she walked away from Laura.  Laura watched her as she left, confused as to what had just transcribed.  _I…what just happened?_ She sighed, shaking her head as she left the stadium.  She sat down on a nearby bench, thinking about her brief meeting with Danny while she waited for Carmilla.

* * *

 

Carmilla quickly shoved her clothes and equipment into their spots in her locker, making sure to grab her bag before closing the locker door.  A smile was plastered on her face, but she couldn’t help it.  Laura was on her mind, and she had been ever since that day she came to do the interview.  No matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t get Laura off of her thoughts. 

Throwing her bag onto her back, she turned to leave when Mattie stepped in her way. “Where are you going?” she asked, crossing her arms over her chest

“Home.  Where else?” Carmilla asked.

Mattie looked at her with a smirk. “Uh huh.  Not meeting up with a certain cute journalist, right?”

Carmilla bit her lip.  _Of course Mattie would know._ “And what if I were?”

Mattie smiled. “Aw, Darling!  I knew it!”

Carmilla looked at her surprised. “Wait what?”

“You and little journalist are a thing, aren’t you?”

Carmilla could feel her cheeks start to burn. “We…uh well…it’s not…”

Mattie pulled her tightly into a hug. “I’m so proud of you, Carm.  Now go on and go get her,” she said, winking before heading towards her locker.

Carmilla watched her friend leave with a surprised expression before her smile began its return.  Leaving the locker room, she walked with speed down the hallway.  As she got closer to the parking lot, she caught glimpse of Coach and Mel speaking with a tall redhead.  Her paced slowed, curiosity getting the better of her.  She was now used to having the media around after games once the ban had been lifted, but this reporter was a new one.  When the reporter looked up at her and their eyes met, Carmilla could almost feel the anger and hatred that radiated off the young woman.  She didn’t know why, but she knew that this woman had some grudge against her.  _And that’s why I limit myself around snotty reporters like her._

Shaking her head, she made her way out to the parking lot.  She looked around, finally spotting Laura sitting on a bench not too far from the viewer entrance.  She ran over, dropping her bag beside the bench as she slid into the spot beside Laura.  Laura smiled at her, laughing at Carmilla’s entrance.

“Ready to go?” Carmilla asked, to which Laura nodded.

Carmilla stood up and grabbed her bag, holding her hand out to Laura.  Laura smiled, taking it and standing up.  They began walking, hand in hand, towards the coffee shop, but Carmilla had other plans.  Once they had crossed the street, she tugged on Laura’s hand, pulling her away from the direction of the coffee shop.

Laura looked at her confused. “Carm, where are we going?”

Carmilla looked over her shoulder. “If I told you, then it wouldn’t be a surprise,” she answered, her smile ever present on her face.

Laura could only nod, mesmerized by Carmilla’s smile.  They walked a few more blocks away, arriving at a small restaurant.  Carmilla watched as Laura looked up at the restaurant in amazement.  She walked over to the door, holding it open for Laura.  Laura smiled, walking inside with a nod of her head.  Carmilla couldn’t help but watch Laura walk in, a smile playing on her lips as she watched her walk over to one of the open tables.  Carmilla followed, taking the opposite seat across from Laura.

Laura looked around the restaurant, admiring its simplicity. “Where did you find this place?”

Carmilla smiled. “I used to come here often,” she said softly, trying her hardest to push away the negative thoughts. “With Ell.”

Laura looked at her with concern. “I’m sorry, Carm.  I didn’t mean to bring up bad memories.”

Carmilla smiled, taking Laura’s hand in hers. “It’s alright.  In fact, that’s why I brought you here, Cupcake.  I think…I think I’m finally ready to move on.”

Laura tilted her head to the side, the confusion on her face making her even more adorable than before. “What do you mean, Carm?  I know we talked about how hard it’s been since you and Ell broke up, but I don’t want you to think that I’m pushing you-“

“Laura, stop.  You’re not pushing me to do anything.  I’m choosing to move on because I want to.  Because I’ve found someone that actually makes me feel like I’m on top of the world.  Because I’ve found someone who I can be myself around without the worry that even if I screw up something, they’ll always be there for me, even if I’ve only known them for a few months.”

It was then that Laura’s brow furrowed, and she looked down at her hands.  _Shit!  What did I say?  Why is she upset?_ Carmilla’s mind began to run a million miles a second as she tried to figure out how to fix her mistake when Laura spoke up.

“I’m sure that whoever it is, they’ll be happy to know how much you care about them,” she said softly, sounding defeated.

It was then that Carmilla understood, and she couldn’t help but chuckle.  Now she got it; Laura didn’t understand that the person she was speaking of was in fact Laura herself.  When she knew Laura wouldn’t be looking up, she waved over to the waitress, giving him the signal to bring over her surprise.  He was quick to bring over the plate and card, setting it in front of Laura.  She looked up at him with surprise and confusion, but the waitress only smiled and left.

Laura turned her attention to the plate and card before looking to Carmilla for an explanation.  Carmilla could only smile and shrug.  Laura narrowed her eyes, trying to figure out what Carmilla was up to when she looked down at the plate, eyes widening at the realization that it was a plate of creampuffs.  Carmilla’s smile only widened at the young woman’s surprise.  She had remembered that Laura’s favorite sweet was creampuffs, so she had ordered in advanced the restaurant’s specialty creampuffs just for the occasion.

“Read the card first before you dig in,” she suggested as Laura continued to stare at the creampuffs.

Laura nodded, picking up the card.  She looked at Carmilla in confusion. “Multiple choice?”

Carmilla chuckled, nudging Laura’s knee with her own. “Go on and actually read it, Cupcake.”

Laura nodded, looking back down at the card.  She read over the card, her eyes widening the more she read.  It was when she started to laugh that Carmilla began to get worried.  _Wait…why is it so funny?_ Laura looked back up at her, her smile huge on her face.

“’D. Break my heart and say no?’  Really, Carm?” she asked.

Carmilla smiled sheepishly at Laura. “Hey, it had to be a choice just in case.” Laura rolled her eyes, setting the card down on the table. “So, care to tell me what your answer is?”

Laura pretended to think for a minute before leaning forward, placing a kiss gently on Carmilla’s lips.  _Damn, her lips are so soft._ When Laura leaned back, Carmilla was still feeling the high of the kiss. “I’m pretty sure you know what the answer is, Carm.”

“And that is?”

“A. Yes.”

* * *

 

Carmilla was happy.  It was the happiest she had been in a very long time.  She either met up with Laura every evening when she could; if she couldn’t, she’d be sure to text her, even if it was for a few minutes before their respective careers took over.  Yet she would always remember to leave a good night text on Laura’s phone before she herself fell asleep.  There wasn’t a single thing that could take her high away.  Or so she thought. 

It was near her two month anniversary with Laura.  It was also playoff time, which meant Carmilla was busier due to longer practices and more film time with her team.  It was the most stressful time of the year, but she battled through it knowing that she would have at least a month to herself afterwards, one she planned on spending with Laura somewhere far away from Silas.  Then it would be back to work.

Carmilla sighed, leaning back against her locker as she listened to a random song on her Pandora station.  Part of her game routine was to listen to some of the recent hits playing on the radio in the minutes before warmups, drowning out the outside noise and distractions.  Her teammates knew not to bother her unless it was an emergency.  It was her way of getting mentally prepared, and anyone who dared interrupt her focus would face her wrath.

When the song ended, Carmilla checked the time on her watch.  There was only six minutes left until she had to be out on the field for warmups, so she decided to put her headphones and phone back in her locker.  She checked her phone one more time, looking to see if Laura had sent her a good luck text as she had so started to.  When Carmilla didn’t see one, she assumed that Laura was still driving to the stadium.  She had managed to get both Laura and her father, Sherman, tickets to the game tonight, a semi-final against the Korvae Angelers.

When Laura had heard about the opponents, she had immediately texted Carmilla wondering if she was going to be ok going against Ell.  Carmilla had wondered the same thing, but she found herself, surprisingly, comfortable about the match.  She and Ell had ended their relationship on a sour note, but she knew Ell wouldn’t stay mad, especially seven months after their relationship ended.  That just wasn’t her nature to.

Grabbing her jersey, Carmilla threw it over her shoulder and led the team out onto the field for warmups.  She was in a surprisingly joyous mood, and it seemed to spread to her teammates.  Everyone was in a fun but serious mood, knowing that tonight’s game could decide the rest of their season, just as the previous two tournament games had. 

Seats were almost filled by the time the end of their warmups had approached.  Carmilla looked up towards where Laura and her father would be sitting and found their seats still empty.  _Traffic must have caught them, and I must’ve just missed her text saying she was late._ Laura wasn’t one to not leave a message in case of something like this happening, but Carmilla didn’t think too much of it if her father was with her.

The Bats returned to their locker room to change into their game jerseys, and soon the game against the Angelers had begun.  Both Carmilla and Ell were forwards, their chemistry working well when they played together, resulting in only a few interactions between the two during the first half of the game.  When she was able to, Carmilla threw a glance towards Laura and Sherman’s seats, finding both of them empty.  _Where are they?_

**_TWEET!_ **

The whistle was sounded, and the first half of the game ended with a score of 0-0.  Carmilla began to jog towards the locker room when she noticed her teammates in front of her slow towards the entrance.  Confused, she picked up her speed and found one of the Bats’ administration personnel standing near the entrance with Mattie.  Mattie was one of the defenders, so Carmilla wasn’t surprised to see Mattie being one of the first to reach the locker room entrances, but what was throwing her for a loop was the admin personnel.  It was then that Mattie turned to face Carmilla.

Her expression was one of surprise and guilt.  One that reminded Carmilla of an experience she had when she was only six years old.  Her favorite kitten had passed away while she was away, and her mother had been the one to volunteer and tell Carmilla.  The same expression was on Mattie’s face, causing Carmilla’s stomach to drop as the many possibilities ran through her mind.  She could feel the fear building up in her chest as Mattie made her way towards Carmilla.  She shook her head as Mattie closed the distance, her hands finding Carmilla’s shoulders.

“Mattie…Mattie no…” she pleaded, praying that Mattie wasn’t going to tell her what she was fearing the most.  Mattie looked at her with an apologetic expression.

“Carm…Laura was in an accident.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for your love of this work. We have only one more chapter to go, and I'm sad to see it come to an end. Make sure to follow me on tumblr for all updates on future works. Leave me your thoughts!


	5. I'll Be There For You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Laura's been in an accident. Carmilla learns what Laura actually means to her.

Carmilla paced the waiting room.  She couldn’t sit still, not while it wasn’t clear on Laura’s condition.  She couldn’t sit and wait; she had to be doing something.  She wasn’t the only one waiting in the room.  Her father, Sherman, was pacing on the other side of the room, while her friends Perry and LaFontaine were sitting in the corner.  It was like some big nightmare that Carmilla couldn’t wake up from, and it threatened to continue.

Laura had been in the operating room for the past five hours, but Carmilla had only found out about the accident just two hours ago.  When Mattie had told her what had happened, she didn’t care if her team was getting ready for the second half of a semi-final game.  She sprinted into the locker room, grabbed her keys and wallet, and rushed out to her car, speeding her way to the hospital.  When she had arrived, Sherman, Perry, and LaFontaine were already present.  Carmilla had rushed into the hospital, frantic in trying to find out where Laura was.

Sherman had met her first, managing to calm her down before she overworked herself.  He had explained that she and Danny, her co-worker at the Voice, were on their way back to Silas when a drunk driver slammed into the driver’s side of the car.  Laura had been driving, so she had suffered the brunt of the impact.  Danny had managed to pull herself and Laura out of the car safely; bystanders had called 911 before rushing to help stabilize Laura’s neck.

Sherman had been the first one called, as he was the only person Danny had a phone number for.  Knowing that Laura would want others there with her when she woke, he had called Perry and LaFontaine as well.  Neither of them knew Carmilla’s phone, desperately trying to get ahold of someone at the Bats’ facility to inform her of the events.  It wasn’t until after the game had already begun did they finally reach someone.

Despite having a few broken ribs and some serious lacerations from the glass, Danny was going to pull through fine.  Laura suffered the worst of it, the worst being a clean fracture in her tibia, all of her left side ribs being broken, and swelling in her head from the impact.  Right now, they were in the operating room focusing on the realignment of her leg while also relieving the pressure in her skull.  They had been updated every hour, the latest being that they didn’t think that there would be significant brain trauma.

“She might have some memory loss, but we don’t know for sure,” the nurse had informed them.

Carmilla continued to pace the room, silently berating herself for not checking in sooner.  She saw the signs, but she didn’t act on them.  _If only I had texted her or tried to call.  I should’ve called Sherman; she was supposed to have come with him.  I should’ve-_

“Carmilla, Sherman.  Maybe you two should take a seat for a little bit.  This pacing isn’t going to help Laura recover,” Perry suggested as she stood up.

Sherman looked over at Carmilla, who continued to pace.  He walked over to her, gently putting his hand on her shoulder. “Carmilla, take a break with me, ok?  I’m sure she would be equally upset with both of us if we wore ourselves out worrying over here.”

Carmilla stopped, looking at Sherman for a moment before sighing.  She nodded, following him over to the seats next to Perry and LaFontaine.  Both of them shared reassuring smiles, but it didn’t help fill the pit that was sitting in Carmilla’s stomach.  She couldn’t help but worry about Laura.

“Yeah know, all this worrying reminds me of the time she made her elementary school principle resign,” Sherman said with a chuckle.

The two women and LaFontaine all turned their heads towards Sherman, confused expressions on their faces. “What do you mean?” LaFontaine asked.

Sherman smiled, leaning back in his seat. “When she was in elementary school, fourth grade if I remember correctly, she caught him embezzling from the ‘candy fund.’  She made such an uproar, even made the paper for it, that he had to resign.”

Carmilla couldn’t help but start laughing. “Really?”

Sherman smiled. “It wasn’t the first time she caused an uproar.  When she was five, she tried to get her kindergarten class to rebel ‘against the evils of princesses.’”

LaFontaine joined Carmilla in laughter, while Perry bit the bottom of her lip, trying not to join them. “Now I can see where she gets her drive from,” Carmilla laughed as she wiped away the tears that spilled out over her cheeks.

“No kidding.  Here I thought she was just an overachiever when we met in college.  I had no idea that this has been a thing since she was a little kid,” LaFontaine added.

Carmilla sat back, watching as LaFontaine and Sherman traded stories about Laura, and she suddenly felt empty.  Here she was, sitting with Laura’s family and friends, people who knew her the best, and yet she had only known Laura for the last five months.  She hadn’t had these experiences like they had.  It left a hole in her heart, an empty space as she watched them interact.

“Now, granted, I haven’t seen Laura as happy as she has been for the past five months,” Sherman said, a smile on his face as he turned his attention to Carmilla.

Carmilla looked at him. “What are you talking about?”

LaFontaine and Perry both smiled at Carmilla. “He’s not wrong, Carmilla.  Before meeting you, Laura wasn’t always smiling or laughing like she has been recently.  It’s like after meeting you, a switched flipped inside her,” Perry added.

Carmilla looked at the three people, people who were the closest to Laura, and tried to comprehend what they were saying to her.  The hole that had been in her chest, in her heart, not a moment before was slowly starting to close.  Her heart started to pound hard in her chest.  _They…they’re including me into their group…even though I’ve only known Laura for a small amount of time._

Sherman wrapped his arm around her shoulders. “I want to thank you, Carmilla.  For helping my daughter see that there is a light in this dark world, that there’s something she can fight for.”

Carmilla smiled softly, opening her mouth to respond, when a nurse came into the waiting room, asking for them.  They all stood at the announcement of her name, the worry rushing through Carmilla’s body like a freight train.  When the nurse began on insisting that only relatives be allowed to see Laura, Sherman was able to strong arm her into letting Carmilla join him in her room.

The nurse led Carmilla and Sherman down to Laura’s room in the ICU.  As they got closer, Carmilla’s footsteps slowed.  Her hand came up to her chest, a fist forming above her heart.  She wanted to see Laura, but here she was, too scared to follow her inside.  Sherman noticed, stopping to face her.  She knew that he could see her worry, her fear, on her face.  He smiled, walking over to her and wrapping her arm around her shoulders.

“Come on, Carmilla.  She’ll want to see your face first when she wakes up,” he said softly.  Carmilla nodded, following him inside the room.

There she was.  Laura on the bed, hooked up to a breathing machine.  Whereas Sherman stopped, his breath sucked in hard, Carmilla continued to walk towards Laura.  She went to Laura’s side, gently taking her hand in both of hers as she knelt down beside the bed.  She gently kissed her hand, trying not to let the tears roll down her cheeks.

“Hey there Laura,” she said softly. “It’s me, Carm.  I heard about what happened and rushed right over here.  I don’t care if I missed the rest of the game or if we got knocked out of the tournament.  I wanted to be here with you, for you.” She could feel the tears begin to roll down her cheeks, taking a deep breath as she felt her body start to shake slightly. “I love you, Laura.  I love you.  These past five months have been the best days of my life, and I wouldn’t change any of it.  Just please, you need to get better.  I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

Carmilla felt a hand on her shoulder, and she turned to find Sherman standing beside her, a small smile on his face.  He nodded before leaving the room, leaving Carmilla to stay with Laura alone.  She smiled gently, grateful for the silence and alone time with Laura.  She pulled over a chair and sat diligently beside Laura, ready to be there for her when she woke up.  _I’m here for you, Laura.  I always will be._

* * *

 

_Man…I’ve got such a headache…what the hell happened?_

_I remember…damn what can I remember?_

_Danny…the car…arguing about Carmilla…the light…my head hurting…_

She slowly opened her eyes, but it was too bright for them to open fully.

_My entire body hurts…I can’t move my leg at all…too hard to breathe…god this headache isn’t helping things…_

Her eyes slowly tried to open again, this time opening enough for her to realize she was in a room somewhere.  She slowly tilted her head to the side, feeling something wrapped around her hands.  Her eyes squinted as she tried her hardest to focus on her hand.  It was then that she saw it was someone else’s hand around hers.  It was small but soft.  She lifted her chin slowly to move her head back so she could look around more.

Then she saw her.  Carmilla had her head laying down on the bed beside Laura’s arm.  Her eyes were closed, her breathing slowed as she slept peacefully.  Laura smiled a little, as much as her body would allow her to in her current state and with the breathing mask over her face.  She continued to watch Carmilla sleep, enjoying the peacefulness that was on her face.  Slowly, and with much focus, she wrapped her fingers around Carmilla’s hand.  It lifted her heart knowing that Carmilla was here beside her.

It was then that she heard someone walk slowly into the room.  She looked up to see it was her father.  When he noticed that she was awake, he rushed quietly over to her other side so as to not wake Carmilla up.  She smiled when his hand gently cupped her cheek.  She wanted to talk to him so badly, but she was still hooked up to the breathing machine.

“How are you feeling honey?  Look left for ok, right for in pain,” he suggested, already thinking steps ahead of her.

She smiled, looking left before looking back towards Carmilla.  She was a heavy sleep, her body taking advantage of every opportunity for rest whenever it could due to her hardworking soccer schedule.  She heard her father chuckle softly before walking over to Carmilla to adjust the blanket on her back.

“She’s been out for a couple hours now,” he said softly, already reading the question off of Laura’s eyes.

Laura nodded, turning her head back towards Carmilla.  She knew better than most how hard it was to wake Carmilla up, so she wasn’t too worried.  It was actually the most at peace that Carmilla had looked in all the time Laura had caught her sleeping.  She was always worrying, either about her soccer schedule, the media, or just life in general.  Laura had always tried to calm her nerves, but she could always read the worry in her eyes, no matter how hard she had tried to hide it.  She slowly moved her hand from Carmilla’s grasp and began to stroke her hair, gently pushing it out of her face.

As she continued to stroke Carmilla’s hair, she smiled a little to herself as Carmilla started to wake up.  It was amusing to watch her come out of her slumber, as if watching a cat wake up from its nap.  She lifted her head, looking around the room trying to adjust her mind as to where she was.  As she turned her head towards Laura, it took all Laura had not to start laughing at her girlfriend’s expression.  Eyes widening, Carmilla jumped up from her seat, gently taking Laura’s face in her hands.

“You’re awake.  Oh god, you’re awake,” Carmilla repeated, as if repeating the words would make them any more real. “I was…you’re awake…and I…”

Tears began rolling down Carmilla’s cheeks.  Laura reached up with both of her hands, gently wiping them away and taking Carmilla’s face in her hands.  She could feel Carmilla relax more into her hands, making Laura’s heart melt.  Here was a woman who could have any person in the world if she wanted to, but she chose Laura.  She chose the one person who would remind her the most of one of the most terrible times in her life to be with.  She didn’t have to get know Laura after the interview, but she did.  She didn’t have to answer Laura’s questions for the interview at all, but she had.  And here she was, worrying over Laura and her safety, and Laura couldn’t find any other words to tell her outside of just three.

“I love you,” she said just loud enough for Carmilla to hear.

Carmilla looked at her in surprise for a moment, allowing for a touch of fear to run through Laura’s heart, before a smile appeared on her face.  She leaned forward, gently touching her forehead against Laura’s.

“I love you too, Cupcake.”

* * *

 

Carmilla smiled as she watched Laura start to take her first steps on her own.  The physical therapist was on her right, her father on her left, but she was walking on her own towards Carmilla.  Carmilla bit her lower lip, watching her girlfriend walk one step closer to her, the focus and determination that she loved oh so much written all over Laura’s face.  She slowed for a moment, taking her time to catch her breath, before she started to walk again. 

“That’s it, Laura, that’s it,” Carmilla coaxed, her hands reaching out towards Laura.

Laura lifted her head, a small smile on her face, as she continued to move more towards Carmilla.  Her pace began to speed up as she was only a few steps away from Carmilla.  Carmilla took a step forward, wrapping her arms around Laura and hugging her close.

“That was great, Laura.  You did it.”

Laura squeezed her back before leaning back to face Carmilla. “I did, didn’t I?”

The physical therapist smiled at Carmilla and Sherman before leaving to go to her desk.  Carmilla walked Laura over to her chair where her crutches were waiting for her.  Helping her settle into her chair, Carmilla leaned down and gently kissed Laura.  She leaned back, and both women had bright smiles on their faces.  Since Laura’s release from the hospital, Carmilla had done everything she could to make sure that Laura got the best rehabilitation she could get.

“Alright, Laura, it looks like your next session is Monday, so you get the weekend off from me,” the physical therapist said with a smile as she made her way over to the couple.

Laura nodded with a smile. “Thanks, Mandy.  You’ve been a terrific help so far.”

Mandy waved off her complement. “Don’t thank me; this is my job,” she said, looking down at her chart. “It looks like you’ve only got four more sessions with me before you’re done.”

Laura nodded, grabbing her crutches and pulling herself to her feet. “It’ll make things much easier once these crutches are finally gone.”

Mandy set her charts down on the table beside her. “We’ll see what we can do Monday about that.  For now, if you practice walking without them at home, make sure your father or Carmilla is around to help out.  No trying it on your own.”

Laura smiled and nodded. “Alright, alright.  I hear you,” she said as she began to make her way towards the front doors. “I’ll see you Monday.”

Sherman and Carmilla waved goodbye to Mandy as they followed Laura out to the front doors.  It had been six months since the accident.  She spent two weeks in ICU before being moved into a regular hospital room for an additional four weeks.  In that time, Carmilla was rarely away from her side.  It was Mattie that had appeared in Laura’s room a few days following the accident to inform Carmilla that they had won the semi-final game against Korvae, having rallied under Mel and herself to win the game in Laura’s honor.  Carmilla and Laura were touched by the gesture, but what surprised them the most were the players, from both Silas and Korvae, that appeared in their room moments later.  Even Ell was there.

Carmilla was worried that the situation would be one of the most awkward of her life, but Laura and Ell actually clicked, laughing at the small things that they enjoyed with Carmilla.  Through the entire first interaction, Carmilla sat back and watched her ex-girlfriend and current girlfriend get along as if they had known each other for years.  Carmilla smiled as she watched Laura laugh, that smile she loved oh so much never leaving her face.

It was when everyone had started to funnel out of the room to head home that Ell asked if Carmilla would follow her out into the hallway for a moment.

_Carmilla looked at Laura, who rolled her eyes and proceeded to give Carmilla that extra push she needed.  Carmilla nodded, standing up and following Ell out into the hallway.  They walked in silence for a moment before stopping in front of a large window that overlooked the hospital’s courtyard.  They both stood there, silent in each other’s company, before Ell finally spoke up._

_“Do you love her?” she asked._

_Carmilla didn’t hesitate in answering. “Yes.”_

_It was quiet for a moment before Ell responded. “Good.  I’m happy for you.”_

_Carmilla turned to face Ell. “Ell, look I-“ she began to say, but Ell gently placed her finger on Carmilla’s lips, quieting the woman._

_Ell looked at Carmilla before smiling, gently placing her hand on Carmilla’s cheek. “It’s alright, Carm.  I am happy for you, and I wish you the best,” she said. “Now go on.  Get back to your girl.  I better see you next time we play Silas; you owe me a full game next time.”_

_Carmilla smiled, placing her hand over Ell’s. “You’re on.”_

_Ell smiled back, leaning forward and gently kissing Carmilla’s cheek. “Goodbye, Carm,” she whispered before leaving._

_Carmilla watched as Ell left, finally accepting that that part of her life was over and for the better.  She had Laura now, and she wouldn’t trade it for anything._

It was after Laura was finally released from the hospital that everything good began to fall into place.  The Silas Bats became champions again for the fourth time in six years.  Not a week afterwards, Carmilla got a call from the Women’s National Team, requesting her services for the upcoming World Cup, which she ecstatically accepted with cheers filling the room after.  Best of all, Laura was finally moving in with her.  They had talked about it before the accident, but because of the need to have someone with Laura, Carmilla had insisted she move in with her.  She had a large enough house, and after enough pestering and pleading, Laura had finally agreed.

“So what are your plans for tonight?” Sherman asked as they made their way towards Carmilla’s black Mazdda MX-5 Miata convertible.

Carmilla shrugged. “Probably a movie night,” she said, unlocking the car and opening the door for Laura.

Laura smiled, nodding her thanks as she made her way into the passenger’s seat.  She slid her crutches in the back and pressed the button on the console to have the top fold back. “Just a nice easy night tonight.”

Carmilla smiled, looking back towards Sherman. “How about you?”

He shrugged. “Not sure yet.”

“Dad, you should go out and hang out with your buddies tonight.  Take a night off from worrying about me,” Laura suggested, though it sounded more like a command coming from her.

Sherman rolled his eyes and held up his hands. “Alright, alright, Princess.  I’ll think about it.”

Carmilla and Laura both smiled at him, each giving him a hug before he made his way to his truck.  Carmilla made her way to the driver’s side and got in. “Mind if I take a detour before we head home?” she asked as she turned the car and started to pull out of the parking lot.

Laura shook her head. “You’re the one driving.”

Carmilla smiled, turning to take the long way home.  That was the beauty of living in Silas; because it was on the west coast, the sunsets hit just perfectly on the cliffs, making for a great drive home in the evenings.  Tonight was no exception.  The sunset was as beautiful as ever, and the crashing waves against the rocks of the cliffs only added to the effect.

Carmilla snuck a glance over in Laura’s direction, smiling as she caught her girlfriend enjoying the wind from the drive.  _God, she’s so beautiful._ No matter where they were, Carmilla never could get enough of the relaxed nature that was Laura Hollis.  She turned her attention fully back onto the road, turning onto one of the roads that would become a dead end with a parking lot.  As Carmilla pulled into one of the spots, Laura looked at her in confusion.

“Carm, what’s going on?  I thought we were heading home?” she asked.

Carmilla smiled. “And we will, but there’s something I need to do first.”

Laura’s look of confusion only grew, but as she started to ask her question, her eyes widened and her jaw dropped.  Carmilla continued to smile as Laura stared at the ring in her hand.

“Laura Eileen Hollis.  Today, one year ago, I met a woman that I didn’t know would change my life for the better.  I was an angry, bitter woman who didn’t want anything to do with the one area that had changed my life:  media.  But there you were, sent to get an interview with me.  You weren’t like the others; you cared about how I would feel with what went into the article.  You cared about what my opinion was.  We sat for hours, just talking about me, talking about you, talking about anything we could,” Carmilla began, taking in a deep breath. “I’ve become a better me because I have you, Laura.  And I-“

Laura’s lips pressed hard against Carmilla’s, interrupting her proposal, but she didn’t care.  When she finally pulled away slowly to take a breath, there was a smile on both of their faces.

“You’re taking too long, Carm.” 

Carm chuckled, holding the ring up to Laura. “Will you marry me?”

Laura smiled, leaning forward to kiss Carmilla again, only this time it was softer and with a smile. “Yes.  Yes, I will marry you.”

Carmilla smiled, sliding the ring onto Laura’s finger and capturing her now-fiancée’s lips in a kiss.  The best way she could describe it was delicious.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for following this work. I had so much fun writing it, and even more fun reading your reactions to it! If you want to see more Hollstein works by myself, please stay tuned! I'm currently taking suggestions on what to write on my tumblr page, so stop by and leave me a suggestion. My username is Libs1317, so make sure to stop by and follow!


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